1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical equipment and, more particularly, to an enclosure apparatus for electrical equipment that is convertible between a rack-mountable configuration and a wall-mountable configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that numerous types of electrical equipment exist in the form of various electrical components that are mounted within or onto an enclosure to form a discrete piece of equipment. Depending upon the nature of the piece of equipment, it may be desirable to mount the piece of equipment in a known rack or onto a vertical support structure such as a wall, although other electrical equipment can be mounted in numerous different fashions or simply placed onto a floor. As example of such electrical equipment would include electrical excitation equipment which typically is mounted on a rack or onto a wall of some type.
As is known in the relevant art, a rack of the aforementioned type typically includes a vertically extending frame disposed within a cabinet, with the frame being configured to have mounted thereto a number of pieces of electrical equipment of a given width. Such pieces of equipment typically are stacked vertically within the rack, one on top of another. In order for a piece of equipment to be rack mountable, the piece of equipment typically will include a housing of the aforementioned given width and will include one or more handles on a front panel thereof to enable the piece of equipment to be pushed and pulled in a horizontal plane into and out of the rack for installation and removal as needed. The piece of equipment typically will also include a front flange that is slightly wider than the given width of the housing, with the flange then being fastened to the vertical frame members of the rack.
In order for a piece of equipment to be mounted onto a vertical support structure such as a wall, the piece of equipment typically must include some type of outwardly-extending flange or other strut or support that enables the piece of equipment to be fastened to the vertical support structure.
Due to the wide range of mounting possibilities and the potential need for existing equipment to be remounted in different fashions as a result of upgrades and other activities, it would be desirable for a piece of electrical equipment to be mountable in different configurations, such as being rack-mountable and wall-mountable. Such a piece of equipment may include an enclosure apparatus that is configurable for mounting in a plurality of orientations, such as would permit the enclosure apparatus to be both rack-mountable and wall-mountable, and may be convertible between a rack-mountable configuration and a wall-mountable configuration.
An improved enclosure apparatus in accordance with the present invention meets these and other needs. An improved enclosure apparatus that can be used in conjunction with electrical excitation apparatus or other equipment is convertible between a rack-mountable configuration and a wall-mountable configuration. The enclosure apparatus includes a housing having first and second walls. A user interface is securable to the first wall when the enclosure apparatus is in the rack-mountable configuration and is securable to the second wall when the enclosure apparatus is in the wall-mountable configuration. The enclosure apparatus may additionally include a console apparatus having a console wall that protrudes outwardly from the second wall and to which the user interface can be secured.
Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus that can be converted between a rack-mountable configuration and a wall-mountable configuration.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus having a housing including first and second walls, the enclosure apparatus further including a user interface that can alternatively be mounted on either the first and second walls to convert the enclosure apparatus between a rack-mountable and a wall-mountable apparatus, respectively.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus having a user interface and being capable of wall mounting at different vertical positions without impairing the functionality of the user interface.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus having first and second walls and a user interface and that can additionally receive a console apparatus that permits the user interface to be mounted to protrude outwardly from the second wall at an angle thereto.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus having first and second walls with first and second holes formed therein, respectively, and further including a cover plate that can alternatively be mounted over the first and second holes depending upon whether the enclosure apparatus is configured for rack mounting or for wall mounting.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus having a housing and an internal support, the internal support being disposed within the interior of the housing, with the enclosure apparatus further including an external support that can be employed depending upon whether the enclosure apparatus is in a rack-mountable configuration or a wall-mountable configuration.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus having a user interface, a cover plate, and a pair of handles that can be mounted in different configurations depending upon whether the enclosure apparatus is to be rack mounted or wall mounted.
Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus for electrical equipment that is configurable for mounting in a plurality of orientations, in which the general nature of the enclosure apparatus can be stated as including a housing having an interior, an internal support disposed at the interior of the housing, and a user interface, the housing including a first wall and a second wall, the user interface being alternatively securable to the first and second walls, the user interface being secured to the first wall when the enclosure apparatus is configured to be mountable in a first orientation, and the user interface being secured to the second wall when the enclosure apparatus is configured to be mountable in a second orientation.
The housing may include a handle and a third wall, with the handle being alternatively securable to the first wall and to at least one of the second and third walls, with the handle being secured to the first wall when the enclosure apparatus is configured to be mountable in the first orientation, and with the handle being secured to one of the second and third walls when the enclosure apparatus is configured to be mounted in the second orientation. The housing may include a console member that is securable to the second wall when the enclosure apparatus is configured to be mountable in the second orientation, with the console member including a console wall oriented generally non-parallel with the second wall, and with the user interface being mounted on the console wall when the enclosure apparatus is configured to be mountable in the second orientation.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved enclosure apparatus for electrical equipment that is convertible between a plurality of mounting configurations, in which the general nature of the enclosure apparatus can be generally stated as including a housing having an interior, an internal support mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior of the housing, and a user interface, the housing including a first wall and a second wall, the user interface being alternatively securable to the first and second walls, the user interface being secured to the first wall when the enclosure apparatus is in a rack-mountable configuration, and the user interface being secured to the second wall when the enclosure apparatus is in a wall-mountable configuration.
The housing may include a pair of third walls, with the internal support including a first support plate, a second support plate, a plurality of first brackets, and a plurality of second brackets, with the first support plate being secured to the first brackets, the second support plate being secured to the second brackets, the first brackets being secured to the second brackets, and the second brackets being secured to the third walls.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved excitation apparatus, the general nature of which can be stated as including a housing having an interior, an internal support mounted to the housing and disposed within the interior of the housing, a number of electrical components secured to the internal support, and a user interface secured to the housing, the housing including a first wall and a second wall, the user interface being alternatively securable to the first and second walls, the excitation apparatus being convertible between a rack-mountable configuration and a wall-mountable configuration, the user interface being secured to the first wall when the excitation apparatus is in the rack-mountable configuration, and the user interface being secured to the second wall when the excitation apparatus is in the wall-mountable configuration.